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TESOL Member Resolution Against Discrimination on the Grounds of Nationality (1999)

Whereas up to 700 mother-tongue teachers of English employed in Italian universities are suffering from widespread and prolonged discrimination on the grounds of nationality, receiving different treatment from their Italian colleagues with respect to the duration of contracts, increments for years of service, maternity leave, and social security rights; and

Whereas Article 48 of the Treaty of Rome provides for the freedom of movement of workers and the abolition of any discrimination based on nationality as regards employment, remuneration, and other conditions of work and employment; and

Whereas the European Court of Justice has ruled twice and the European Parliament at plenary sessions has twice passed resolutions condemning illegal discriminatory practices in Italian universities regarding non-Italian teaching staff; and

Whereas these conditions and practices are practiced worldwide; and

Whereas this discrimination on the grounds of nationality places a financial and psychological burden on these non-nationals and their families by rendering it difficult to sell their labor as teachers without constant and extremely protracted recourse to the courts; and

Whereas TESOL's Vision Statement calls for a "coordinated, knowledgeable response at the international, national, and local level to issues affecting institutions that foster the development of effective human communications;

Therefore Be it Resolved that the membership of TESOL recommend that the Board of Directors address the issue of discrimination against teachers of English on the basis of national origins that affects the "employment and professional lives of the TESOL membership" (Standards Objectives in the Forward Plan, revised 1999) by:

1. Recruiting and support against this discrimination by searching out other like-minded organizations to take further action thereby enacting its Mission Statement that "promotes advocacy to further the profession"

2. Lobbying support against the aforementioned discrimination in appropriate governmental agencies internationally

3. Educating TESOL members regarding the issue and principles involved through various means, such as TESOL publications and web site

4. Facilitating discussion of this issue through various means, such as panels and forums.

1999 TESOL Convention
New York, New York USA

Note: This member resolution was voted upon during the annual business meeting of the association in 1999. Resolutions passed at the annual business meetings of the membership are not official policy of the association. The resolutions need a vote of approval by the Board of Directors.